Intersection Changing

November 6, 2012

ST. MARYS — Motorists along South Street in the city of St. Marys will soon have one less traffic signal to content with in the coming weeks.

City engineers are in the first stages of removing the traffic signal at the intersection of South and Front streets in St. Marys. Starting on Wednesday, the signal will go into flash mode — the signal will flash to traffic on South Street and will be a red light to traffic on Front Street.

“We felt the signal was not justified due to the fact that school was no longer there,” Engineer Superintendent Craig Moeller told The Evening Leader. “The removal is about a five-month process. We will have the signal in flash mode for three months — traffic on Front street will have to stop now and there will be stop signs on Front Street placed up.”

Members of the engineering department also will monitor the signal to make sure there is not an increase in crashes. Following the initial 90 days, the signal will be removed and officials will monitor the intersection for another 60 days.

“We typically go by ODOT guidelines to see if there’s a need for one,” Moeller said. “There are about five or six ways you can warrant one, and one of those ways is if it’s a school crosswalk — which obviously it isn’t anymore.”

The revision should make traffic along South Street flow more smoothly.

“It’s less of an impediment on South because there are times when traffic had to stop and there was nothing on Front Street,” Moeller said. “Now on Front Street, you will have to stop, but you can continue if there is no traffic.”